Establishment (Tom Watson) vs. Youth (Bubba Watson)

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One of the themes for the 2011 PGA TOUR season is the competition involving the younger players and the established ones. How will the veteran players -- those with significant TOUR experience and long-standing championship pedigree -- fare against the hungry up-and-comers who are looking to nudge their way into the TOUR's elite?

Each week, PGATOUR.COM will select two players and analyze their chances heading into the tournament. We'll then track which player has the better score for his team, and keep a running team tally throughout the year.

British Open viewers should have no problem differentiating between this week's Youth vs. Establishment matchup, Bubba Watson vs. Tom Watson.

Not only are the two players not related, but they are nearly 30 years apart in age.

Bubba, 32, ranks No. 5 in FedExCup points this year and has won three times in the last 14 months. He's drives the ball as long as any player on TOUR with his pink-colored PING driver. The lefty is also one of the most creative shot makers in the game, curving his shots more than the worst player in your foursome. The difference? He does it on purpose, and leads the TOUR in almost every important ball-striking category.

Tom, 61, plays most of his golf on the Champions Tour. He's one of golf's all-time greats with 39 PGA TOUR victories and eight major championships, and he showed two years ago that he hasn't lost the ability to compete with the youngsters, having nearly captured his sixth British Open title before losing in a playoff to Stewart Cink.

It's the war of the Watsons this week. Here's a closer look at each one.

ESTABLISHMENT AGE: 61 YEARS ON TOUR: Tom played his first full season on the PGA TOUR in 1972. He has played full-time on the Champions Tour since 2000. OVERVIEW: Tom's last TOUR victory came in 1998 at the MasterCard Colonial, but he has chased many titles since, including his thrilling run at the 2009 British Open where he lost in a playoff. He has made the cut in all of his six Champions Tour events this year, including a win at the Senior PGA Championship in late May. HISTORY IN THIS EVENT: Tom has won the British Open five times ('75, '77, '80-'81, '82-'83), more than any other player since World War I. He missed the cut last year at St. Andrews, but finished 2nd to Stewart Cink at Turnberry in 2009. He also finished tied for 18th in 2003 at this year's venue, Royal St. George's. OUTLOOK THIS WEEK: Tom's only TOUR appearance this year was at the Masters. While he missed the cut, he led the field in driving accuracy by hitting 85.71 percent of fairways. Royal St. George's is known for its undulating fairways. Watson's experience on them should help, especially in poor weather conditions. Expect to see Watson and his timeless swing hold steady with players half his age. The worse the weather, the better Watson may fare.   YOUTH AGE: 32 YEARS ON TOUR: This is Bubba's sixth year on the PGA TOUR. He has won three times on TOUR, and finished second at last year's PGA Championship. OVERVIEW: Bubba was the hottest player in golf early in 2011, but has cooled since his victory at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in early May. His statistics havent slipped much, however. He's second in driving distance, averaging 311.6 yards off the tee. He's also first in greens in regulation, averaging an astounding 72.43 percent. It gets better -- he's third in eagles, ninth in birdies, 12th in total driving and ranks first in ball striking. HISTORY IN THIS EVENT: Bubba's first British Open was in 2009 at Turnberry, where he missed the cut. He also missed the cut last year at St. Andrews. OUTLOOK THIS WEEK: Royal St. George's set up has been called quirky by some players, but so has Bubba. He's never played well in the British Open before, but his poor play this summer has allowed him to come to the tournament under the radar. A stat that might hurt him? Sand save percentage, where hes ranked 173rd. He's a good enough ball striker to stay away from the sandy spots in Sandwich, however. Bubba should be comfortable in his pairing with laid-back Graeme McDowell and all-star Aussie Jason Day. Look for him to make his first British Open cut this week.

Here are the results of the previous matchups this year

Score/Finish Tournament   Score/Finish   Steve Stricker 20 under (T-4th) Hyundai TOC Dustin Johnson 14 under (T-9th)   Ernie Els 4 under (T-42nd) Sony Open Jason Day 8 under (T-20th) Stewart Cink 5 under (MC) Bob Hope Classic Bubba Watson 7 under (MC) Davis Love III 5 over (MC) Farmers Insurance Open Rickie Fowler 5 under (T20) Angel Cabrera 7 under (T-49th) Waste Management Phoenix Jhonattan Vegas 2 under (MC)     Padraig Harrington 2 over (T63) AT&T Pebble Beach National Dustin Johnson Even (T55) Jim Furyk 1 under (T35) Northern Trust Open Louis Oosthuizen 3 over (T62)     Vijay Singh 9 over (MC) The Honda Classic Anthony Kim 7 over (MC) Luke Donald 11 under (T6) WGC-Cadillac Championship Jhonattan Vegas 2 under (T31)   Sergio Garcia 7 under (T15) Transitions Championship Matteo Manassero 6 under (T20)   Phil Mickelson 1 under (T24) Arnold Palmer Invitational Graeme McDowell 9 over (MC)     Fred Couples Even (T60) Shell Houston Open Gary Woodland 10 under (T13) Tiger Woods 10 under (T4) The Masters Martin Kaymer 6 over (MC)   Justin Leonard 2 under (T30) Valero Texas Open Anthony Kim 7 over (MC)     Jim Furyk 5 under (T21) The Heritage Jason Day 7 under (T9) David Toms 7 under (T18) Zurich Classic of New Orleans Brandt Snedeker 2 over (MC)   Phil Mickelson 10 under (T9) Wells Fargo Championship Bubba Watson 3 under (T48)     Tiger Woods Withdrew THE PLAYERS Championship Charl Schwartzel 6 under (T26) Paul Goydos 5 under (T10) Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial Jason Day 3 under (T31)     Vijay Singh 5 over (T27) HP Byron Nelson Championship Nick Watney 1 over (T8)   Jim Furyk 8 over (MC) the Memorial Tournament Bubba Watson 1 under (T42)   David Toms 5 over (MC) FedEx St. Jude Classic Camilo Villegas 8 under (3)   Ernie Els 6 over (MC) U.S. Open Graeme McDowell 2 under (T14)   Padraig Harrington 4 under (T63) Travelers Championship Aaron Baddeley 11 under (T24) K.J. Choi 11 under (2nd) AT&T National Adam Scott 9 under (T3)   Stewart Cink 3 under (MC) John Deere Classic Louis Oosthuizen 3 under (MC)